Hundreds of people are expected to attend a forum devoted to the city's burgeoning fashion-tech industry as more retail executives are venturing into the space.

As New York's fashion-tech industry heats up, several leaders in the space are getting together to talk about it. The inaugural Fashion Tech Forum, a one-day event held at Pier 59 Studios, will kick off on Wednesday. Organized by Karen Harvey of Karen Harvey Consulting Group, the event is expected to attract more than 400 attendees and become an annual occurrence.

Ms. Harvey, who has run her retail executive search firm since 2001, said she has spent the last few years fielding calls from executives asking for advice on entering the fashion-tech space. More and more retail veterans are moving into the digital market: Angela Ahrendts, former chief executive of Burberry and a Crain's 40 Under 40, recently joined Apple as senior vice president of retail, while accessories designer Ivy Ross moved to Google to lead Glass, the search giant's wearable computer.

"It became very important for us to really step up and not only share our observations, but create a forum where the fashion sector and the technology sector could come together and share the best practices," said Ms. Harvey, noting that she expects the Fashion Tech Forum to host a series of meetups throughout the year, as well. "It's really what can the tech sector learn from fashion."

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The conference boasts panelists including Tim Weingarten, founder of the Hunt, which helps consumers identify and buy items they see in pictures and on the Web, Katrina Lake, founder of Stich Fix, an online personal-styling service, and Rebekka Bay, creative director of the Gap.

In addition to the panel discussions, the event will also present three finalists from a Founders of the Future challenge contest sponsored by Ms. Harvey's firm and Elle magazine. After attracting more than 100 applicants, the challenge aims to find the next great fashion tech startup. The winner will receive $50,000 and weeks of mentorship.

Fashion-tech continues to gain ground citywide. Earlier this year, the Partnership Fund for New York City and Springboard Enterprise, a nonprofit that connects female entrepreneurs to capital, launched New York Fashion Tech Lab where eight fashion technology startups will work with mentors to grow and improve their companies.